It’s finally done! If you’ve been following me for a while, you know what a journey it’s been to finish this rifle. Before I introduce you, here’s a little about the birth story to get you caught up!
In January 2020, I sat down with Josh at Oregon Rifleworks to start on my build. The original plan was to do a video on each part, talking about things to take into consideration, options, pros and cons, and more. Then the chaos of 2020 hit, which complicated our already hectic schedules and made it difficult to find time at the shop to do to videos. The build stalled because I really did want to make this an educational experience for myself and all of you.
Come spring 2021, I decided I just wanted to get the darn thing done. Josh and I picked out the rest of the parts for the build, decided on a color/pattern and had it sent off to cerakote, which of course took far longer than expected. We finally got it assembled and I brought it home at the end of May… only to realize that I really wasn’t happy with how the cerakote looked. I had a vision and it just wasn’t able to come to life the way I wanted it to. I wanted so badly for it to be done, but I also wanted to love it! So I changed strategies and sent it back. When it doubt I prefer to just keep it simple, and that’s exactly what I did. There’s no cool pattern or crazy colors, but you know what? I’m happy with the final result and it’s true to my minimalist style.
This post is simply a show and tell, but I will definitely dive more into each component and do a Q&A soon. I still have a few accessories to add (like iron sights—on order!) and likely some adjustments to make as I gain more experience on the AR-15 platform and figure out my preferences.
Thank you so so much to the entire crew at Oregon Rifleworks for helping me with this build! If you’re local to the Portland metro area, head to ORW for all your firearms needs and make sure to tell them I sent you.
I am so excited to finally introduce you to Arnold the AR-15!
- Lower Receiver: ORW Lower Receiver
- Upper Receiver: ORW Upper Receiver
- Barrel: ORW 14.5″ Lightweight Barrel, 1:8 twist, gas block included
- Gas tube: Mid-length gas system
- Muzzle Device: Battlecomp 1.5″ (pin and welded)
- Hand Guard: ORW 13.625″ M-LOK Hand Guard
- Trigger: Timney Triggers Impact AR Trigger
- Bolt Carrier Group: SAA Nitride Milspec Bolt Carrier Group
- Buffer Tube Kit: Milspec
- Forward Assist: Standard Milspec
- Port Door: ORW Port Door
- Charging Handle: ORW Radian Raptor
- Safety Selector: Radian Talon
- Stock: Magpul MOE-SLK
- Grip: Magpul MOE-K
- Hand Stop: Railscales Karve-P
- Rail Cover: Railscales MiniDot
- Optic: Crimson Trace CTS-1400
- Sling: Neomag Scout Sling and Sentry Strap* (discount code pinotandpistols saves you 10%)
- Cerakote: Elite Carbon Grey
* I earn a commission when you use my link to make a purchase. Thank you for your support!